Operational Art and Munitions Supply: An Analysis of Munitions and Their Influence on Operational Art Practiced by the American Expeditionary Forces During World War I

摘要

How did munitions supply and distribution affect the execution of operational art by the American Expeditionary Forces (AEF) during World War I. The AEF had many logistical challenges during World War I. The majority of academic research focused on the lack of preparedness on a national level and the subsequent logistical issues caused by the difficulties in the mobilization of the industrial base. This study focuses on how the operational planners and leaders dealt with the supply of munitions and how that supply affected the operational art demonstrated by the AEF. The campaigns at St. Mihiel and Meuse Argonne are examples of operational art by the AEF. The significant amount of munitions needed for these operations required operational art to integrate the operational plan. Both of these operations deal with the difficult task of getting munitions from the theater supply system to the point of tactical employment. This task is critical to operational art in the areas of culmination, operational reach, phasing and tempo.